When you are looking to prepare a quick meal, what do you make?

[OceanAnnie]

- Crockpot roast w/ green beans & new potatoes (or skip the potatoes and use store bought mashed potatoes). Add 1 pkg. of Lipton onion mix and set on low all day. Yummy!

- Assortment of cheese, crackers, pepperoni and fruit (always a hit)

- Rotisserie chicken (pre-cooked) with veggie and fruit sides

- I make a good chicken salad with the leftovers from the rotisserie chicken; light mayo, seasonings, chopped grapes, and walnut pieces.

- Subs (Meatball subs are a hit at our house, just put some pre-made meatballs (I like turkey) in the crockpot with some jar sauce and Italian seasonings. Set the crock on low all day. Serve on sub rolls add some mozzarella, heat the sub in the micro for about a min., till it's melty. Easy, quick, and fun.

- BLTs

- Quiches or frittas. I like ham, cheese, and broccoli quiches. Quick and easy to make. I'm making one later today.

- BBQ chicken in the crockpot

- Mac and cheese with ham added, veggie sides

- Breakfast for dinner

- Ham steak and sides

 

[Tinijocaro]

I try to keep frozen ravioli or tortellini in the freezer-that's real quick.

Also, I am trying to always have frozen, cooked w/onions ground beef or turkey in 2 ob quantities. Easy to make chili, tacos, sloppy joes, shepards pie, tomato meat sauce.....when the meat is already cooked.

Also, frozen pierogis are good.

I plan on making sauce and freezing it in meal amounts.

I also am planning on using my crockpot more-pot roast is easy to throw in in the morning-ready when you walk in the door. Also a turkey breast or chicken. Soups can be done up ahead.

I start teaching again tomorrow so I'm really trying to think ahead and make my meals a bit easier without getting into too much unhealthy prepared foods.

 

[SaraJayne]

We either make spaghetti or have breakfast for dinner.

 

[momof1princess]

if i'm in a huge hurry or forgot to thaw something, i usually keep a frozen pizza on hand. if i just want something quick, i'll make tacos or sloppy joes.

 

[englishteacha]

Pasta with jarred sauce, frozen pizza, hot dogs and tater tots or hot dogs and beans, breakfast for dinner are all quick items I go to. My DH also likes Hamburger Helper, but I'm not a huge fan.

 

[OceanAnnie]

I try to keep frozen ravioli or tortellini in the freezer-that's real quick.

Also, I am trying to always have frozen, cooked w/onions ground beef or turkey in 2 ob quantities. Easy to make chili, tacos, sloppy joes, shepards pie, tomato meat sauce.....when the meat is already cooked.

Also, frozen pierogis are good.

I plan on making sauce and freezing it in meal amounts.

I also am planning on using my crockpot more-pot roast is easy to throw in in the morning-ready when you walk in the door. Also a turkey breast or chicken. Soups can be done up ahead.

I start teaching again tomorrow so I'm really trying to think ahead and make my meals a bit easier without getting into too much unhealthy prepared foods.

Me too. I also prepare the sides for tacos in the morning. Chop the veggies, and put the add ons in small dishes to set on the table. Makes dinner time a lot smoother.

Sometimes when I know it will be an extra busy day, I'll wake up a little early and fix dinner ahead of time and have it ready to reheat in the evening.

 

[Ohiodislover]

I always have precooked ground turkey, and chicken breast strips in the freezer to pull out and cook up quickly. Makes the quick meals everyone has mentioned even that much quicker

 

[PollyannaMom]

It's so reassuring to see I'm not not the only one with grilled cheese on my list! DS told a friend that's what we were having for dinner one night, and the kid looked at him like he had two heads.

Some of the same things other people have mentioned, like pizza - but also this time of year clam chowder! (Of course, DS doesn't like that yet, but I'll make him a hot dog in the microwave.)

And my other favorite I haven't seen on here yet is steak salads. - Bake some frozen shoe string fries, and put them on the bottom, then bagged salad, with shredded cheddar cheese and leftover steak tips on top, and ranch dressing. (I warm the tips in the microwave before I put them on.) Sounds strange at first, but absolutely yummy!


P.S. - OP, thanks for starting this thread!

 

[MsLeFever]

Hot turkey sandwiches. Deli Turkey, good bread, premade gravy and mashed potatos (also from the refrigerator section of the grocery store)

Yum - I'm hungry.

 

[chrismiss56]

Can HEALTHY and quick meals be in the same sentence? Any ideas.......

Have a Magical Disney Day!!

 

[dawson5]

A few years ago family circle magazine had about 6-10 recipes that could be done in 30 minutes. Two that stick are a chicken penne alfredo and meatballs & egg noodles.

The chicken alfredo was pretty simple

2-3 chicken breasts
box of penne pasta
1 pkg parmesan cheese (8 oz grated/shredded from the refrigerated section in the bags)
small ctr of whipping cream
3 carrots peeled and sliced (like coins, not sticks)
1 bag of broccoli cuts
dash of nutmeg


Put salted water on to boil for pasta.

2-3 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless) cut into chunks. Brown/cook until done in a skillet with oil.

When water comes to a boil add pasta. Last 5 minutes of cook time, add broccoli and carrots. Drain when done. Put pasta back in the pan, add the chicken, broccoli, carrots and add the parmesan cheese, nutmeg and whipping cream. Stir until cheese has melted and made the sauce but do so gently or broccoli will break up.


Meatballs & Gravy
1 1/4 lb lean gr. beef
1 egg lightly beaten
1/3 c bread crumbs
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion halved and thinly sliced
1 c sliced mushrooms
1 c (14 1/2oz) beef broth
2 Tbsp flour
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Cooked noodles (we use egg noodles)

Heat oven to 350.
Mix gr beef, egg, bread crumbs, garlic salt, 1/2 tsp of Italian seasoning and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Form into 40 meatballs, about 1 level tablespoon each
Place on rack (we just put them in a large pyrex dish, can use a "rack" over something like a cookie sheet I guess but it says to coat with cooking spray first).
bake at 350 for 20 min.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Add onion and mushrooms and cook for 6-7 min, stir occasionally or until lightly browned. Sprinkle flour over mixture, stir and cook 1 minute. Gradually stir in the beef broth until the flour is completely incorporated into the liquid. Bring to a simmer. Stir in the m remaining 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning, 1/4 tsp pepper and the nutmeg.

Add meatballs to the skillet and reduce the heat to med-low. Cover and simmer for 10 min, stirring occasionally. Serve with butter egg noodles and veggie (recipe recommends steamed spinach, my kids won't touch it).

If I get a chance later I can find the magazine to put the rest of the recipes on here. I save the magazines but I've got a few years of them to go through to find it. I really need to just clip out the recipes at this point, it's the only reason I'm saving them.

 

[Mickey2903]

I take a bag of frozen vegetables (broc., caul, carrots). Sometimes add my own sliced onion and/or sliced potato. Add a little water to it. Put in a pan on the stove and add either kielbasa/sausage (I think its a 16 oz. pkg). I just slice that and add to the vegetables. Cover and let simmer until vegetable are cooked through. Then drain the water and I add either shredded cheddar cheese or velveeta (mainly for the kids benefit) and let it melt. I think it's somewhat healthy.

 

[NMAmy]

Can HEALTHY and quick meals be in the same sentence? Any ideas.......

Have a Magical Disney Day!!

Sure...

Salmon and shrimp both cook quickly. Sometimes I poach the salmon while I roast veggies (tomatoes, jalapeno, onion, red pepper, garlic, and corn) in the oven.

I make egg burritos--scrambled eggs on whole wheat tortillas with chopped tomato and avocado and salsa and a bit of low-fat shredded cheese.

 

[AKL_Megs]

I make "Inside Out Pot Pie"

All you need is...

Diced chicken breast (I use a breast a person) or chicken breast in a can (one large can)
1 bag frozen mixed vegetables
2 cans cream of chicken
1 can Grands biscuits

Cook and dice chicken (or open a can!), stir together soup and vegetables, add chicken. Cook until hot. Serve over biscuits.

 

[ElizK]

Taco salad is quick, maybe 15 mins if the beef (I actually use ground turkey) is thawed.

Black Bean soup and corn bread - about 20-25 mins

spaghetti, of course

salad with rotissere (sp) chicken from the store

home-made chili(again, ground turkey) over baked (nuked) potatoes, about 20 mins

philly cheese steak, about 15 mins

 

[SueInBoston]

I always have frozen pesto and cooked bacon in freezer.

bowtie pasta with pesto, bacon and peas...

yum..

I buy the big jar of pesto from Costco, divide into little container and freeze them. Also buy cooked bacon from Costco and keep in freezer.

 

[ilovemonk]

Can HEALTHY and quick meals be in the same sentence? Any ideas.......

Have a Magical Disney Day!!

Our quick healthy meals are stir fry, salads, soups, vegetarian meals, and international foods, like Indian, Asian, etc. There's a lot of online recipes.

We try to stay away from too much pasta and other carbs, processed foods, and too much fat/salt/etc.

 

[patsfan101]

My family's favorite quick meals:
Fajitas
Spag. and meatballs (we like Prego)
French Toast

 

[java]

We have a fall back on easy one-

Chicken with Ramen noodles

I saute chicken (cut up breasts) in a little soy, add broccoli. At the same time boil the packages of Oriental flavored Ramen (I use 5 for 6 of us) Mix it all up - dinner.


Another fast dinner

4 slices of bacon sliced up
sauted in olive ol

add a can or 2 of chopped tomatoes depending on how many you are feeding.

Add Cayene Pepper- (We like it hot so I use 2 TBS but use according to your taste)

Serve over pasta of your choice.

 

[jme829]

Get a loaf of Pepperidge Farms 4cheese garlic bread, pound of deli roast beef and pack of provolone cheese slices,

Cut bread in quarters, then cut quarters in half (thru the middle) add couple slices beef, couple slices cheese, throw under the broiler about 5 minutes or so.

Or do the same and instead of beef use spagetti or pizza sauce and use shredded cheese. Use extra sauce for dipping.

Serve with salad, fruit, chips, etc..

Quick and yummy!